The third car did him in

Try explaining this to your insurance company.

LEOPOLIS – A black bear was killed Friday night when it was struck by three vehicles on Wisconsin 29 about two miles north of this western Shawano County community.

“The first lady who hit it said it walked straight into the back of her car,” Andrea Happli, 20, of Mosinee, told the Shawano Leader. Her car was the third, and last, to hit the bear.

“The second person hit it straight on, I was told. I saw their car on the right side of the road smoking, so I got over into the left lane, hit something, and my car went flying through the air.”

The bear was about 6 feet tall and was believed to be about three years old. There was no estimate of its weight.

“A bear-vs.-vehicle encounter is not an uncommon thing, but definitely not a weekly occurrence,” state Department of Natural Resources wildlife technician James Robaidek said. The state doesn’t specifically track such accidents, but lists them under vehicle-other animal crashes.

“To say it happens a couple times a year would be accurate,” Shawano County Sheriff’s Department Capt. Tom Tuma said.

What if you hit the bear, damage your car, and the bear runs off? I'm betting car vs. deer accidents are common enough that the insurance companies just say, yeah, okay. But a bear?

On the other hand, if you were going to lie about how your car got dented, why would you make up a bear?

This is also the first time I’ve ever heard of Leopolis, Wisconsin.